Kenya rich on paper but majority struggling to make ends meet

A section of Mathare slums in Nairobi. (Photo: Willis Awandu/Standard)

As a wave of labour unrest sweeps across the country with doctors and lecturers staying out of hospitals and lecture halls, one thing has reinforced the hard line stance by these professionals—a belief that Kenya is wealthy. 

With the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — or the total value of goods and services the country produces annually— standing at Sh6.3 trillion as of 2015, doctors, lecturers and teachers might be excused for believing the Government coffers are brimming with cash.